Secrets and Scars
by PeanutButterCupCake
Summary: Talen was a hybrid trapped between two worlds.  The one she was raised in and the one she fought against. One day everyone's life changes as old feelings resurface and secrets are revealed. Warning: language, violence, sexual themes, mpreg and maybe more.
1. Chapter 1

Basic disclaimer: The Kuro characters aren't mine, much as I love them. Talen/Carissa and her kitty are mine though.

Warning: This story will contain the following: language, violence, sex or at least sexual references, mpreg,drama and possible future warnings as it progresses.

Extra story notes that could be of miscellaneous interest (trivia tidbits, thoughts on chapter) are at the end.

Chapter 1: As Evening Descends

Another mission accomplished and Talen was happy to be returning home. She didn't work as often as most of her colleagues, but she was considered a "Special Agent". Part of a small team of highly-skilled field agents who took on some of the more dangerous tasks. That didn't bother her much, she was capable and paid handsomely for the risk.

For the past half week or so she was roaming the countryside on her latest mission. A soul that did not want to be ushered to the other side. The human knew death was approaching and put up quite a chase. Their record put up an equally daunting fight. The human was extremely ill, and seemed to think that by running they could escape their fate.

Walking through familiar city streets, she came to a quiet side street. Aside from being taller than most people, she looked like anybody from the city's "freak scene". Her hair was razor cut slightly past her chin, with a light, feathery appearance. It was black with ruby streaking that would look like a crimson halo when the sun shone through it. Her attire was basic business style.

Reaching the familiar door she knew that any stress would dissipate. Here she could be who she wants to be, not what she was expected to be. She was not Talen Falcata the half-blood, the demon-slayer. She even hated the name Talen, it made her feel like all she was nothing but a weapon. The surname, a completely contrived one, was just as bad. The name was bestowed upon her at birth by the man who raised her.

Being half demon wasn't that pleasant. She was born from the union of two beings considered mortal enemies. Never could she see that part of her blood as kin, all her life she was raised to hate demons. She despised that part of herself as well because it made life that much more difficult. At least she wasn't born with the need to devour souls for sustenance, her demon blood came out more in her appearance and heightened senses.

The door creaked open and she entered the building. Hanging in the air was the faint scent of cookies,a fresh batch must have been made a couple hours ago. It mingled well with the flowers, someone's funeral was soon.

A familiar figure came out of one of the preparation room, greeting her with his usual smile, "You're back Carissa, wasn't sure when I'd be expecting you."

She smiled at the man, who used her middle name, he was the only one allowed to call her by it. She thought it was a nice name, a sign that somebody in her past cared for her, or so she hoped. It seemed so incongruous amidst a name that signified a warrior. In the past she fought for a legal change only for her guardian at the time to refuse. Now she only wanted those closest to her to use it. It became a sign of trust.

"Hey Undertaker, I noticed you made more cookies today," she smiled back at him while slipping her boots off.

"Always need a fresh batch for us... and our visitors," he chuckled, "I'll get started on dinner once I'm done with my latest guest."

"Take your time, I'm taking a bath first. My latest mission left me a little sore, I need to relax," she took off her jacket and hung it on a hook, "I'm filing the reports for tomorrow. Those bastards at the office can wait."

"Okay, I'll see you soon," and with that he was back in the embalming room/laboratory.

Talen went upstairs, where a decent apartment was located. Most people would feel uneasy about living in a funeral parlor, but the residents were not typical. The whole building had been renovated to keep up with the times and living customers' wishes. There was the entrance/office area where many old instruments were now kept behind glass cases. Behind the desk sat the old anatomy mannequin. It gave the room a museum-like feel, which became part of the charm in its own creepy way. Off to the side was a viewing room for families that wanted calling hours to see their dead loved ones. Tucked near the back was an embalming room and laboratory for working with the cadavers that was actually pretty state-of-the-art. There was also a coffin room, for clientele who wanted an old fashioned coffin, retro was in style now. It also served as Undertaker's bedroom most nights, he still liked sleeping in his favorite coffin.

The apartment itself was modest, and mostly filled with things Talen accumulated over the years. Predominantly books, movies and clothing. It had a well-stocked kitchen with some interesting kitchen ware that included beakers, scalpels, urns and other various tools as well as traditional kitchen supplies. The living room had a decent entertainment center and some comfortable furniture in dark colors. The bedroom in back was acquired by Talen as Undertaker hardly ever used it.

Heading to the bathroom, she began drawing a bath, adding an oil bead that released a soothing lavender scent. Letting the water run, Talen went into the kitchen to get a few cookies from an urn in to nibble on. Then she went the bedroom room to get a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and a book to read while soaking. She wasn't sure if she would be reading or not, but just in case. On the bed a fluffy red cat lay curled up in sleep. His name was Charun, she took him in as a stray kitten a few years back. She was particularly fond of cats, as like her, they did everything on her own terms. Apparently, according to Undertaker, her Father loved cats too.

"And how is my kitty today? I missed you," she ran her fingers through the soft fur and he blinked at her with sleepy gold eyes before purring.

She fawned over the feline for a few more minutes before returning to the bathroom. Shedding her uniform she climbed into the claw-footed tub. The hot water felt great on her sore muscles and she could already feel the tension ease out of her. She set the book aside on a table, and placed her silver framed glasses on top of it. Leaning back she closed her eyes and just relaxed.

How long had she been living like this? It must be nearly a decade now, but like many beings with a long life span such time frames really didn't matter. Living here was great in her mind, her own place of comfort. Not to mention she was living with someone she could consider her best friend with benefits. They were lovers, but friendship was first and foremost. Talen never thought much about romantic love, but at the same time they never saw anybody else. He may have been centuries older, but he still looked fairly youthful under the long robes and amazingly long silver hair. He was still young at heart, in his playful and sometimes impish nature. Not that age mattered once adulthood was reached.

A gentle knock at the door brought Talen back from her mental drifting, "You alright in there? I don't feel like having you as my next customer. Although you would leave a pretty corpse heh heh."

"I may have the live fast part down, but I don't plan on dying young sweetie!" she laughed. "I'm just daydreaming."

"Well I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of spaghetti for dinner, I had a busy day with my guests."

"That's fine, and maybe after we can watch a movie. I found a bunch of old cheesy ones at the thrift shop last week."

"Sounds like a plan m'dear. I'm sure you picked out some delightful ones."

"I'll be out soon then."

Washing up quickly, Talen finished her bath and got herself dried and put on some scented lotion and spray before dressing. It was the most refreshed she'd felt in days. It wasn't until then she realized how hungry she actually was and couldn't wait for dinner. Making her way to the small dining area in the kitchen she rummaged around the cupboards for a glass and some scotch.

"Just in time, I made sure to put extra garlic in the garlic bread."

"Awesome," she grabbed the bread to set on the table, "I'm starving!"

"Well aren't we eager tonight."

"As always," she smirked and took a sip from her glass. "It's been a few days since I've had a decent meal."

"What shall I do with you?" he smiled at her while dishing out their dinner.

She adored his smile, finding it to be reassuring. Many other people would think otherwise, but Talen knew Undertaker was more than just some creepy fellow. That smile to her meant things were okay.

In turn he had no issue with her living with him. She was someone who provided company, as much as he enjoyed the company of his guests there was no way they could respond to him. Another living being wasn't too much of an issue, some days they had little interaction with each other, keeping to their own business. When she felt like it she was helpful, having no problem in helping to build a coffin or keeping the shop in order.

Dinner was fairly quiet after that. It was simple, but delicious and just what she needed. Feeling a little fuzzy from the scotch, Talen went to the main room and searched through the DVDs she had gotten but hadn't had a chance to look at. Most of them were old American B movies, cheap horror that was more ridiculous than frightening. Selecting one she threw it in the DVD player.

"Find anything interesting there?"

"Of course I have," she flashed a grin, "when have I not found something interesting? I came across an old classic actually."

"Oooh delightful!"

Talen grabbed the remote and sat on the couch next to Undertaker. This was probably going to be the highlight of the day, a B movie and then some sleep. Charun wandered into the room and Talen immediately pulled him into her lap for cuddling. Yes, this was the highlight of her day.

Author's notes:

A falcata is a type of sword that's been around since ancient times. It wasn't called a falcata until the 1870s, and is derived from the latin language. All this name stuff is going to play in later when I get to the actual drama.

I used the Etruscan spelling of Charon, their culture usually depicted him as a redhead who would lead you to death by bashing you in the head with a hammer. Not the ferryman we think of when we hear that name.

I also think Undertaker would totally be the type to watch old B movies for fun in modern times.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Hidden Regrets

"Talen, your reports are late," William adjusted his glasses and glanced up at Talen.

"Oh cut me a break," Talen crossed her arms and glared, "You had me running all over the countryside for nearly half a week to bring that one in. I needed some rest."

William sighed, "I thought I raised you better than that."

Talen had an at-times grudging respect for William. After all he was her legal guardian until she graduated from the academy. He had raised her to be the being she was today. Growing up under his care hadn't been easy. There was a lot of pressure to excel at everything so she could be that elite agent the higher-ups wanted.

Taking a deep breath to remain calm, Talen spoke with an even voice, "You should know I do things on my own terms. If you're the one who raised me, then you should know that there is nothing to worry about. I always turn in my assignments."

"You still aren't going to get special treatment for that. Those reports should have been completed right after you returned from your mission."

Talen rolled her eyes. Like a shinigami she had the two-toned iris, only instead of shades of green the inner iris was a deep wine red while the outer was a pale rose. She tuned out William's lecture on proper paperwork procedures, it's not like he has many difficult cases. It was her job to take care of the high-risk cases. Her job was to essentially make the work lives of others easier. A good night's sleep didn't seem that out of line.

"I've heard it all before, sorry for for taking a breather," she snapped.

"You know something," William sighed in exasperation, "You're acting just like your mother."

"Could you please not bring that up? If you're not lecturing me, you're comparing me to somebody I've never even met!"

Talen knew her mother was infamous throughout the Division. Even before the charges of fornication with a demon. Her mother was none other than Grell Sutcliff. How someone biologically male could carry a child was still a mystery, but he did. He disappeared shortly after Talen's birth and has been missing ever since. Talen knew William was still hung up on him, and she faced constant comparisons. That was when he wasn't reminding her that he is the reason she was even alive.

The tension grew thick in the office as Talen and William glared at each other. Talen did her best to keep her anger under control.

Talen spoke first, "I'm tired of the comparisons. All I did was take a short break before filing reports. Remember, I have the more difficult task here. I don't see how this makes me like someone who apparently hated paperwork. Somebody whom I have never met, whom you treat as dead."

"He may very well be. His status has been unknown for the past century." William gave her an almost wistful look for half a second before reverting to his stern countenance.

Talen slammed her fist on the desk. "Now please, I'm asking you nicely, just drop the comparisons and the sob story. I've heard it far too often. You know something? Maybe you should stop pining for someone you very likely drove away! I mean I can't even stand you right now! And stop fussing over me, I'm an adult and I have always been dependable regardless of the assignment. I'm going home now before I get even angrier, don't bother getting a hold of me unless it's work related."

With that Talen turned on her heel and left the office. William got up and shut the door, and returned to his desk. He gazed out the window and attempted to get his bearings back after that altercation. Her comments stung deep. If only she knew how much she was like her mother at times, or how much she was right.

There was more than that, so many more things that reminded him of his missing colleague. Opening a drawer in his desk he took out an old photo album and flipped through it. It was slightly yellowed with age, but was well cared for over the past century. Gently he turned the pages and examined the pictures of a time long since passed.

Had he gone too far back then? What hurt the most was that it was his decisions that led to Grell's disappearance. Talen didn't know this when she flung her accusations at him. Now all that was left was the photo album, some possessions left behind, and Talen.

Looking over the photographs, he saw the similarities between the two. Appearance wise they both had the same strong but delicate build, their eyes were even the same shape. While Talen wasn't one to flirt, she apparently had a similar sexual appetite. They were also both prone to taking joy in bloodshed.

Both were temperamental as well, but it was manifested differently. At times they both were intimidating, sometimes outright frightening. Talen seemed to retain that as she reached adulthood, and showed no sign of being a traditional lady. Some of her colleagues who didn't fear her respected her, and she was known to be like one the guys in social situations. She could drink some of them under the table, at times she got in trouble for fighting. In this respect she was androgynous, just like her mother. No respectable woman would behave in such a manner.

With a solemn sigh he placed the album back in the drawer and continued his work.

Talen returned to the funeral parlor to find it crowded. _Shit, _she thought, _I forgot there was a viewing today!_

She was still feeling frustrated from earlier, all she wanted to do was drop off the paperwork and get on with her day. Not hear any lectures or anything that she now considered cliché from her guardian-turned-supervisor. She did her best to keep calm and entered the somewhat crowded building. Fortunately most of the visitors were in the viewing parlor with their deceased relative, her entrance went unnoticed by them.

"Rough day at the office Dearie?" a voice behind her asked.

Talen jumped, "Geez Undertaker, don't scare me like that. For your information yes, I did have a rough day."

"That fussbudget got on your case again?"

"Yes, and don't worry. We kept it civil," she smirked.

Undertaker could feel the tension radiating from her, "He brought up your mother again, hmmm?"

Talen looked down at the gray tiled floor, her voice subdued, "He did. I asked him to stop doing that. I kinda snapped at him today."

Undertaker placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I'm a bit busy right now as you see. My guest needs a spectacular sending off. We can talk about it later if you want."

"Maybe," she shrugged, "I think for now I'll engage in some retail therapy. Some fresh air might help me calm down."

"Okay then, I'll be around if you want to talk, or do anything else," he pulled her into a quick hug. "Whatever relieves your stress."

She returned the hug, enjoying the warm feeling of those arms around her. After a few seconds they broke the embrace and she went upstairs to change out of her uniform and into something more casual. Going out should help, even if she wound up not getting anything at least the activity would take her mind off things. Pulling on some tattered black jeans and a t-shirt she used her shapeshifting abilities to make her eyes a single shade of deep red and hide her fangs. A handy ability that shinigami used on occasion, and one she inherited. Now she passed off as human and was ready to go.

Aside from the morning's confrontation, the day was rather pleasant. It wasn't too warm out and the sun was shining. First she wandered over to a used book shop to see if there was anything that caught her attention. Reading never got old as there was always something interesting, and she had found some odd little gems in that store. It was a cozy old shop, with shelves stuffed full of so many different books. She could spend hours there just browsing.

Choosing a couple books that were in the short story section, she paid and went back out into the afternoon air. Now for some lunch, preferably with outdoor seating. Finding a cafe with some tables out front she placed an order for a sandwich and some iced coffee and waited while flipping through her recently purchased books.

After lunch Talen decided to continue her shopping, maybe find some new clothes. When she moved to her current domicile most of what she brought were clothes and books. In her afternoon wanderings she didn't notice the unassuming figure seated on a bench watching her casually. All she noticed, was that her senses picked up a nonhuman nearby, putting her on guard not seeing a dispatcher in her vicinity.

Golden eyes observed the tall woman wander about the shopping district. She had to be the one he was searching for. She just had to be. The way she moved like a predator as she wandered, movement developed from years of training and working. Her skin was pale, hair a dance between onyx and crimson. She had an elegance to her that reminded him of a certain demon.

He was very certain that this was _her_. Still, he couldn't be too sure. If he was wrong it would be a huge embarrassment on his part. The woman looked like she could kick some serious ass, which in a different situation he wouldn't have minded one bit. He would just keep an eye on this area and surrounding blocks from time to time, and figure out his next step.


	3. Chapter 3

The third chapter, where we learn that being tough doesn't keep you from having issues. A bit of fluff and a bit of why jobs can be a biatch.

Chapter 3: Hunter's Lament

Talen didn't think she'd be back out so soon. That morning she had been awoken by an urgent message that summoned her to the dispatch offices. There were reports that a demon was lurking in the slums, preying on the desperate souls who dwell there. He had been lurking, and investigation confirmed his presence. As usual, Talen was requested to take care of the matter before it became a larger problem.

This was her main job, to eliminate demons. Creatures considered filth. Her demon half was the half she'd been raised to despise. Constantly she was reminded that the only reason she lived was because her demon blood could be used against demon-kind. She had their superior hunting skills, giving her a predatory edge most shinigami lacked, as well as sharper senses.

The other part of her job, when the occasion arose, was to tend to more troublesome souls. It was found that humans who were strong willed could struggle for life, sometimes creating disaster for whomever was assigned to reap that soul. For the sake of efficiency, she and others with advanced skills took care of those souls. Thus making a small team of "special forces".

Then came the occasional large-scale disaster, where this Talen would have to take on guard duty. Basically she and the rest of the team would watch over soul collections and assist in any complications whether they were demonic or otherwise. As wary as many of the dispatchers were of her, their safety was in her hands.

She made her way to the location where this demon was lurking. Every so often she would pause, and just let her senses take in her surroundings. See if there was a shadow lurking, or a scent on the wind, any sign of her quarry. At her side was her scythe, a weapon with a tapering sickle-like blade.

All around were grubby-looking humans. Many whom had had their spirits broken from falling through society's cracks. They could be perfect prey for a starving demon, easy to contract since most only sought instant gratification. With easy contracts to fulfill there was a constant, but cheap, food source. Talen sighed at the sad, sorry state of this neighborhood.

Just then she picked up what she was seeking. In one of the more run-down buildings, very likely a condemned one, she picked up traces of a demon. Picking up speed, she went to the building and slipped inside through a long ago broken window. It was only a few rooms away. Carefully stepping around and over rubbish, she crept through the rooms. The demon had just finished feeding on some hapless human. If she acted quick enough, she could kill it before it completely regained its strength.

Keeping in the shadows, she waited for just the right moment. Sleepiness was setting in on the demon after having gorged itself. The glutton didn't even seem to notice her presence. Judging by the its sluggish movements it seemed to feed here regularly. Never a shortage of souls in want of an escape from the miseries of life at the bottom of society. This was going to be an easy fight, not what Talen wanted, but as long as she got the job done she didn't care.

The time was now, Talen slid out of the shadows and in a fluid motion drove her scythe into the demon's back, its blade exiting through the chest. Just as she thought, its record showed a fairly inactive life of feeding off the poor and the desperate. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, this creature didn't even care about the quality of its meals. It lived purely off base instinct. Much like the humans it fed off of.

In her own hatred, she savaged the hapless demon, tearing it limb from limb. The demon didn't have a chance to defend itself, or even speak the attack was so sudden. Over and over she stabbed it through the torso using her blade, eyes glowing with pure malice. Blood and gore flew everywhere as she lost herself in bloodlust. She hated these damn things. They were filth to her. It was that part of her she hated about herself, a part she wished she could destroy. Rather than engage in her own destruction, she allowed herself to externalize that sense of destruction.

When there was barely anything left of the demon, the rage in her quieted. She stood in the middle of a room decorated in crimson. Breathing and heart rate returned to a semi-normal state, and suddenly the room felt cold and eerily quiet. Talen could hear the blood rushing through her veins as the adrenaline dissapated. Glancing around the room she observed the damage she caused. It was more than necessary for the job, but she didn't care that it was overkill.

Feeling numb, she picked her scythe off the floor and wandered out of the shadowy building. Back in the street the sun felt almost blinding. Her body felt heavy with fatigue, all she wanted to do was collapse. Her job wasn't finished yet, she had to report back to dispatch, fill out reports and clean her scythe. She wondered if she could hold up for that much longer. A dull ache was beginning to spread through her as an inner conflict raged.

Finding a quiet alleyway she was able to transport herself back to the offices. By now nobody said much when she returned covered in the remnants of her latest slaughter. Seating herself in a cubicle she filled out the forms, now running on autopilot. Over the past several decades she had done this dozens of times. It was so routine she could just shut herself off for the time being. All she had to do was finish this paperwork, hand it in to William, and she can go home. Hold it in until then.

Feeling didn't return until she went through the door of the funeral parlor. Then it hit her like a wave, all the pain, contradiction, frustration came rushing back to her. She would have crumpled to the floor if Undertaker hadn't rushed into the room to catch her. He had known earlier she was sent out to dispose of a demon, and knew what the aftermath would be.

Talen just clung to his robes, she really hated this feeling. She hated demons, she hated that she was half demon, she hated having to hate them. All of that rage and pain having to cope with it drove her to obliterate every demon she was assigned to kill. Yet, she was torn. Part of her regretted the slaughter, she felt like she was killing a part of herself whenever she confronted a demon. When she was killing, she was somebody different. It was her demon blood that gave her the power to destroy. A part of her she could never separate from herself, no matter how much she wished to.

Talen awoke in her bed. Her uniform was replaced with sleepwear, her skin and hair were clean of gore. The past several hours were a blur to her. Vaguely she remembered Undertaker doing his best to soothe her. Rubbing slow, comforting circles on her back while she tried to regain her bearings. Once she calmed down he had ushered her into the shower and found her something clean for her to wear, and had her get some rest.

"Awake already?" he asked as her bedroom door creaked open. He entered bringing a tray of tea and cookies.

Talen gave him a sleepy nod and sat up.

"How are you feeling?" he sat by her on the bed and placed the tray on the night stand.

"Like crap," Talen sighed and took a beaker of tea and muttered her thanks as she let the hot liquid warm her.

"No problem."

"I feel like a real pain."

Undertaker sipped on his tea, "you're not a pain at all. I'm more concerned with the fact that you're still stuck doing something that is obviously hurting you."

"It's not like William would listen if I say anything," Talen grumbled while nibbling on a bone shaped cookie. "I'd get fed some line about how it's my purpose there. The usual crapola, I just do my duty, blah blah."

Undertaker chuckled at Talen's grumblings. He had to agree that William was odd with her, a bit harsher than he was with everyone else.

"Thanks again for looking out for me," Talen said, "I really, really appreciate it."

"Anytime dear, anytime," he placed a comforting hand on her forearm.

Talen smiled, it was just a subtle upturn of her lips, grateful to have someone around who cares for her regardless of what her parents were.

"Shoot! I just remembered it's my turn to make dinner tonight. I have no clue what to make."

"Don't worry about it, you need your rest. We can go out somewhere later, when you're feeling ready. Just relax okay?" He leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before getting up. "I have some things to take care of, there's always someone's final party to plan. I'm sure Charun can take over from here," he nodded to the fluffy feline taking up part of the pillow.

"Undertaker?"

He paused, "Yes Carissa?"

"Could we go out for pizza? At that one place by the park?"

"Sure," he smiled at her softly. "I'll see you in a bit dearie, get some more sleep."

"See you then," she said and settled back into the warm comfort of sleep and Charun's purr.


	4. Chapter 4

And here we have the mpreg flashback chapter. It will be shown in italics as will future flashbacks. I wanted to have this chapter out Friday night but I got stuck working a double at my job and had to deal with a nasty computer infection on Saturday. My computer's all better now though and everything is moving along. ^_^

Still don't own any of the Kuro characters, I guess I own the random extras who are just wandering the streets? Oh and the currently unnamed Council member, who will probably receive a name later when he appears in another flashback.

Chapter 4: Bittersweet Dreams

Grell was seated at the window on the second floor of an inn, watching the hustle and bustle of the evening crowd. Laying low was so boring! It was only a short while ago he returned to the city after a prolonged absence. After years of wandering he began hearing reports of a demon slayer. Now that on its own was of no interest to him, but the rumors were that this particular slayer was half demon. If so, he needed to meet with her. He suspected the young woman he saw a couple days beforehand was that woman, his daughter.

The window in his room overlooked a pizza place with outdoor seating. Not much else he could do but watch people, especially if he wanted to keep his cover. He didn't want the Dispatch offices to get wind of his return. Suddenly he saw that woman again, and she was with somebody. It was Undertaker, which surprised him a little. Yet it made sense, he was legendary and she seemed to be a legend in the making. He didn't look too bad either, wearing contemporary clothing on his lean, toned frame. Probably because he was not at work at the moment, yet he still wore his usual top hat.

The woman looked exhausted, a contrast to how she appeared when he saw her shopping the other day. Her expression showed some degree of emotional strain and she look like she just woke up. He wondered what happened to exhaust her, she looked so strong that one day. It was comforting to him to see Undertaker by her side though. From their body language he could see that Undertaker cared about her. It seemed that a couple times he told jokes and the woman would reply with a chuckle or an appreciative smile. If only he could hear what they were talking about.

At least he now knew what to do next. It would seem awkward to confront this woman on the street and begin asking her questions. Being able to ask someone they both knew on the other hand would be easier. If this woman turned out not to be his daughter he could just continue on his wanderings, as lonely as they were.

Yet he was almost sure she was. She just had to be. Her features were so similar, a perfect blend of his and her father's. With a sigh Grell threw himself onto the bed. Tomorrow he would visit Undertaker and ask about this woman whom he appeared to be quite close to. For now he just let his mind wander as he thought of what led up to this. Either he could get the answers he was seeking, and hopefully find a way to end his years of wandering. Or he could be mistaken and go back to a lonely life of questioning past actions. Not that he held any regrets, just many, many what ifs. What if he had returned sooner? What if he stayed? What if she had a different father? Eventually he fell into a restless sleep.

_He wasn't sure how it happened, but he defied the natural order of things. The glaring lights of the hospital wing just added to the surreal feeling that was washing over him. How was he going to break it to Will? What was going to happen now? Joy and uncertainty were dancing a delicate war within his heart. This was all he ever really wanted, but he also knew the circumstances around this odd miracle were not the best. Had he not been with that handsome and rough, demon, things may have been different._

_ Still, the offer was too good to pass up at the time. It began when he ran into Sebastian while on assignment. He was given the reluctant offer of some time together, all he had to do was divulge some sort of information regarding a case that he was sent to investigate. How could he turn such an offer down?_

_ That night had been rough and full of hunger. He could still remember the feel of the demon's rough caress. His body shuddered with pleasure at the memory of the demon inside of him, the hot breath ghosting on his pale skin. The bruising bites that remained as proof of their night of carnal passion. Every bruise and laceration was welcomed, even if he seemed to be the only one enjoying it._

_ Now he was sitting in the hospital wing, having been sent down by William. As of late Grell spent his mornings, and sometimes whole days feeling ill. He was also moodier than usual, and was driving the rest of the department crazy. Now he had to get his bearings and tell Will, regardless of the consequences. It would be impossible to keep this a secret._

_ Sliding off the table, he gently touched his abdomen, still somewhat in disbelief. He wasn't far enough yet to be showing, the life that was growing was no more than a clump of tissue at this point. The clicking of his heeled boots echoed through the halls as he left the hospital wing for William's office. He was nervous, unsure of what would happen next. It took everything in his power to open the office door, knowing William's reaction would not be a happy one. As much as William put up with him, his gut told him that this would be different._

_ "Come in Sutcliff," William remained seated at his desk with files spread out before him, "tell me what the doctor said."_

_ Grell entered and shut the door behind him, "Well Will, I'm pregnant."_

_ William's head snapped up from the paperwork he was tending to and he glared, "What? How the hell did that happen?" _

_ "The doctor isn't too sure. He thinks that I have a womb that remained unnoticed," Grell shrugged nervously. "It probably would have remained hidden if I didn't get pregnant."_

_ "Any idea who the Father is?" William's eyebrow twitched in annoyance._

_ "Yes, actually," Grell took a deep breath. "It's Sebastian."_

_ William shot up from his desk and cracked Grell across the face, hard enough to send him to the floor, "How could you? Do you not have any respect for yourself. Sleeping with such filth like a common street whore!"_

_ Grell placed a hand on his cheek, tears stinging his eyes, "I am not a whore."_

_ "Then why are you putting yourself in the company of a demon? A respectable shinigami would never lay with a creature that low."_

_ "You wouldn't understand Will!"_

_ "No, I wouldn't," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with that thing you're carrying."_

_ "It's not a thing! It's my baby!"_

_ "Honestly, the most merciful thing that can happen is for you to miscarry. That child, if it's allowed to be born is going to be cursed by its demon blood."_

_ "You don't mean? No! They can't do that to me!" Grell shrieked as he realized what William was considering, wrapping his arms protectively around his midsection. "I won't let you or any doctor near me if you're thinking of that!"_

_ "That's not up to me Sutcliff, that's up to the Council of Elders. In this case they're the ones who are making the decisions. If they decide to remove that thing from inside you, it's going to be removed."_

_ His heart was racing, he felt trapped, cornered. He also felt betrayed by William, who knew how he felt about wanting to bear children. William knew that this longing had driven Grell to madness previously. This went beyond normal trouble, he knew the Council would be severe in doling out punishment. While in general nobody cared who was having sexual relations with who, fornicating with a mortal enemy could be considered criminal._

_ Grell's thoughts were interrupted by William, whose voice was surprisingly calm now, "I suggest you go home and remain there until a decision is made. Don't think of trying to leave, it'll only make any penalties you need to pay more severe. Now get out of my sight."_

_ Grell nodded and got up, numbly leaving the office. He was dismissed until further notice and had no choice but to return home. Upon arriving he went into the bathroom to survey the damage done to his face. There was a purpling bruise where William struck him, harder than usual, very likely bruising the bone. He felt exhausted from freaking out in the office, and was too tired to get an ice pack._

_ Instead he crawled into bed and attempted to sleep, hoping this was all a nightmare. It was rare for Grell to feel true fear. The first time was when Sebastian was about to kill him with his death scythe. Now with the potential life of his future child at risk he felt fear grip at him again. Only time would tell what happened. Nobody would be there to save him this time._

_ Days later he was standing before the Council, composed of the oldest and wisest shinigami. Grell was afraid his knees would give out from being so nervous. Many of the members have lived for millenia, some for as long as human history. It was their decision that determined his and his unborn's fate._

_ One of them, likely the head of the council judging by his regal presence, called for attention._

_ "Sutcliff, it has come to our attention that you are facing charges of fornication with a demon. Since demons are our sworn enemies this could be considered a crime of treason. Even more damning since there is evidence of these alleged relations."_

_ "I-I didn't mean it as such. I had no intention of betrayal."_

_ "Then why did you commit such a crime?"_

_ "It was mere infatuation Honorable One. Nothing more," the blunt, honest answer, the best to give when in such deep trouble._

_ "This will not be taken lightly, such a crime requires punishment, especially since you have committed grievous violations in the past. You are to be barred from field duties as well as entering the human realm for an indefinite period of time. Your actions will be monitored at all times. You may work but you are to remain at the offices and Library. Your scythe will be confiscated for that period as well."_

_ Normally this would have been a relief, a sentence similar to what he received for the Jack the Ripper killings. Office work was tedious and boring, but was better than nothing. Now there was more riding on their decision than occupational duties._

_ "And what of my unborn?" he asked softly. "What's going to happen with my pregnancy."_

_ "After much deliberation we have come to a decision. Due to staffing issues the child may be carried to term circumstances permitting. If it survives to birth it will be taken into custody and raised under special orders. If there are any signs of possible threat the pregnancy will be terminated. If the resulting child shows such signs it will be destroyed. Consider yourself lucky Sutcliff."_

_ Relief and fear washed over him. He hoped that everything would go smooth, that his child would develop and be born healthy. That it would show promise and be allowed to live, even with warning that it would be taken from him at birth. After being outfitted with a tracking monitor he was sent back to his apartment to contemplate his fate._

_ That whole time William was nearby, but kept a colder demeanor than normal. It wasn't the usual toleration or brush-off Grell was used to. It felt more like William was distancing himself, making Grell feel totally alone._

_ Now curled up again in his bed, he placed his hands on his stomach, "Little one, I'm not sure if you can hear me. But please, grow healthy and strong for me? I'm practically alone now, everyone is rejecting me more than usual. I know I can only be with you for so long, but please be good for me?"_

_ The following months would be bittersweet._


	5. Chapter 5

The latest installment, featuring the moments leading up to a reunion, some silliness and a little bit of catching up. While working on this particular fic for every chapter I upload there are at least two more in the works between drafting and editing. Even if I'm just writing for amusement I want to put care into my work ^_^

Chapter 5: A Wanderer's Return

It was a slow day at the funeral parlor, no grand parties scheduled for that day, no new guests that needed prettying up. Talen had recovered from her breakdown the previous day and was out grocery shopping. They were running out of ingredients for cookies, and needed more stuff for those delicious meals Talen liked to cook. Undertaker knew that she was feeling restless as of late, probably from work related stress. Her duties at Dispatch were more demanding as of late, and more frequent. A

He knew it was best to leave her be. All she wanted was some space at the moment, and something to keep her occupied. He was hoping she would return soon though, so they could play a board game or go over some coffin designs. It was a rather boring afternoon. Sitting at the desk he pulled a book off the shelf, a record that should be returned to the Library months ago. It made him think of when they first met, she had been sent there with a message to return some borrowed records that were long overdue.

The bell above the front door rang, signaling somebody's entrance. Looking up he first thought he was seeing a ghost. The figure strode over to Undertaker's desk and sat down on its surface somehow only knocking over a few scattered items.

"Miss me?" Grell smiled with a wide jagged grin.

"So it is you, I thought I was seeing things for a moment. Everyone thought you were gone."

"I was," Grell pulled a nail file out of his pocket and began idly filing away to keep his nerves calm.

Little appeared to have changed in his century-plus long absence. His hair was still very long and very red. His clothing was reminiscent of his old uniform, but was more casual. Yet he still had the same red coat, only now very worn with signs of constant repair. Its brilliant crimson color had faded over the years. He just couldn't part with it. Still fairly young there were no signs of aging, but Grell had changed. There was an air to him beneath the toothy smile that had a layer of sorrow. Different from the loneliness that was usually buried under flirtatious cheer.

"So where have you been?" Undertaker asked.

"Around," Grell put the file back in his pocket, "I've been wandering. Doing freelance work mostly. I wander around and get hired to do the cases nobody else wants to do. Less paperwork is involved, so I get to focus on the fun stuff. My scythe is pretty boring though, but that's what I can get for that work. No real options for customizing when you work for hire. More importantly, I have a question for you. I've been seeing a woman around here, last night I saw her with you. Is she..."

"Yes, she is. That woman is your daughter."

"I thought so."

"Were you spying?"

"Kind of, I saw her out shopping one day and was hoping she was. You know, family resemblances and all."

"Why are you looking for her now? I don't mean to pry, but you ran off after she was born and now you're looking for her."

"I wasn't sure at first if she was my daughter or not. I just heard rumors as of late of a demon slayer working for the London Division. Many of them saying that the slayer in question is a hybrid, like the child I had," his hand rested lightly over his abdomen where a scar lay hidden beneath his clothing. "I wanted to see if the rumors were true. I've been in the city for a few weeks now, disguised as a human. I don't really want William to get wind that I'm here. Who knows what would happen, if he knew I were here."

Grell's voice was quieter than usual, with a subtle pained edge to it. He was serious about not informing William of his return.

"Don't worry," Undertaker stood up and laid a hand on Grell's shoulder, "I won't tell him."

"Does he ever say anything about me?"

"According to Talen he talks about you on occasion. Enough to annoy her."

"Gee, thanks for revealing that. Glad to hear my child hates me."

"Oh I wouldn't say that. She's just tired of being compared to your younger self, that's all. He's always telling her how she's so much like you. She's the independent type, it's perfectly understandable."

"Do you think she'll accept me? I know I wasn't really involved in her life."

"I don't know. She's asked me about you before, but more out of curiosity. Actually I'm not sure how she is going to react. I could ask her when she gets back, if you'd like to try out one of my coffins," Undertaker giggled. "You could listen in, seeing that you've been spying already."

"Um...no thanks. I think I'd rather meet her and find out for myself."

"We could make it a surprise, you could pop out if you'd like. Like a present. We can even add a bow if you want! If you're feeling a little shy I could pop out of one too. I usually can't pull that on her, she's so used to it," Undertaker giggled, " Two people might make her jump though!"

"Honey, I'm home!" Talen said as she entered the shop. "I found some good stuff for tonight. I was thinking of making some sort of soup for dinner, is that okay? I figured it would be good with this crappy weather we're having today."

"Great dear, why not go put them away. I have a surprise for you when you get back here," he flashed a wide grin.

"Okay then," Talen carried the bags upstairs to place in the kitchen. Not noticing the redhead that was eyeing her.

"She's gorgeous now that I can see her up close," Grell mused.

"I don't know if she'd exactly agree with that one, but she is very interesting."

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'm a little nervous."

Undertaker placed a hand on Grell's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze "Don't worry. For all we know you'll have one of those touching moments like on those sappy TV shows!"

"Thanks," Grell sighed and gave an eyeroll. "That's real comforting."

Talen had left the upstairs apartment and was heading back down the stairs, "Okay, I'm ready. What's the big surprise?"

"Well it concerns my latest guest," Undertaker gestured to Grell. "Talen, I'd like you to meet your mother."

Dun dun dun! How will our sometimes surly heroine react? Stay tuned! I also do plan on going more in-depth as to how Talen and Undertaker met and became bffs with benefits. I'll do it as an interlude chapter that I'll squeeze in somewhere.


	6. Chapter 6

Once again the Kuro characters don't belong to me. Any non-Kuro ones though do belong to me.

Chapter 6: All Pent Up

Talen's eyes widened in shock, standing before her was the one person she spent her whole life thinking of. It was as if she couldn't breathe the air felt so heavy, she never thought she would see him ever and yet there he was. Ringed ruby eyes met emerald in a moment of revelation, as emotions long-since buried came back to life.

"Why were you never there for me?" she asked quietly.

"Pardon?" he replied, expression hopeful.

"Really, what took you," she couldn't keep the edge out of her voice. "How come it took until now for you to come waltzing into my life? And why now? Do you really expect me to throw myself to you after abandoning me?"

"But..."

"Do you even know the kind of shit I had to grow up with because of you? Stuck being raised by somebody who can't make up his mind on whether I'm a bother or someone to take care of. Forced into a position with absolutely no say, just told that I have to work that position because my life depends on it. Not to mention all the pining I've had to deal with in your absence!" she snarled.

"I can explain.."

"Like hell you can! I don't want to hear any excuses from you. If I was really meant anything to you, you would have come for me sooner. Why did you even run away? Were you too fucking scared to bother taking care of me yourself? You'd rather just dump me on some sad sack?"

"Talen, please calm down," Undertaker interjected. "Just let him explain."

"Why should I? If I wasn't abandoned and actually had a real mother, maybe I wouldn't have half the issues I have now! Instead I grew up with nobody standing up for me when I needed it, nobody to actually invest anything emotional in me. I was just brought up to be used as needed!" she slammed her fist into a wall, causing both men to jump.

Then she left the shop, slamming the door on her way out. Grell stared at the door in complete shock, all color drained from his face. Quietly, he sat down at the desk, heartbroken.

"How could she react like that?" he asked softly.

"I didn't think she'd get that upset," Undertaker placed his hands on Grell's shoulders. "Usually she saves those outbursts for William when he's being a pain in her neck."

"It's not like it was my choice in the beginning though. After she was born nobody would let me see her. If I could, I would have been with her."

"I'm sure you would have, but she doesn't know that. I don't know the full story since I wasn't there, but I can tell you're being sincere. There's only so much information I could give, plus whatever she heard growing up from everyone else."

Grell sighed, "Does she hate me?"

Undertaker placed a hand under Grell's chin and tilted his gaze up, "I don't think she hates you. She's very angry, but I don't think it's hate. Talen has a lot of frustrations, but she rarely outright hates anything. It's such a strong word."

"But she was so cruel to me, I know I don't usually mind that, but coming from my own offspring, it really hurts," he sniffled.

"I understand, she's been through a lot of hurt as well. In most cases Talen can handle her own. Like you she is a strong fighter, she has a great sense of humor and is capable of caring. Yet she has a hard time handling her emotions, like a certain shinigami I know," he gently poked Grell on the cheek.

"What should I do? I want to get through to her somehow."

"Be patient with her, I'll have a talk with her later when she gets back. Just leave her be for now, and hopefully she'll come around. She's doesn't let many people in."

"And how do you know all of this?"

"We've been living together for the past ten years or so. We've grown close to each other. I suggest that you get back to wherever you're staying, I'll tend to your insufferable brat."

"I suppose so," Grell stood up, "Don't need her going off on me again. I'm sorry to cause you such trouble. I thought things would be different."

"Well you made the day more interesting," he pulled Grell into a comforting hug, "Now run along, I can handle her."

"Well, bye then. I hope you're right about everything," Grell pulled away and walked towards the door.

Meanwhile Talen sat on a park bench examining her bruising knuckles. She would definitely need an ice pack when she returned. More importantly her mind was still in a state of confusion She didn't even know she was that angry, most of the time she treated the subject of her mother with indifference or curiosity. Not outright anger. Yet his reappearance stirred up some old feelings she had forgotten.

Now she felt any prospect of that was ruined by her temper. Even if it just surfaced, it was real anger. Not that she ever thought of how she would act otherwise, the prospect presented to her became an impossibility in her mind. She realized that she did feel abandoned to a cold, uncaring world. The only time William ever seemed to approach her with anything other than sternness was when he was thinking of Grell. Those moments always made Talen feel awkward, he would get more emotional, sometimes downright depressed. Leaving Talen to feel like the odd replacement of a missing piece.

She didn't know how long she stayed on that bench, just that it was beginning to get dark. It would be best if she returned and went to bed. Right now she didn't feel like confronting anything. She felt like that sad, lonely child again. Maybe a few drinks would help soothe her shattered nerves.

Back at the Inn Grell laid in bed watching the moonlight drift across the room as the hours passed. The ache in his heart from Talen's rejection was still lay heavy within him. He was really hoping he could trust Undertaker on this one. Give her a couple days to cool down and see if he could just visit the shop more often. Find a way to get his daughter to accept him.

In the meantime he brought up those bittersweet memories from his only time with Talen. The months leading up to her birth. How he would fawn over his slowly expanding stomach, reveling in the fact that the impossible happened. As those months passed he took time to tend to her the only way he could. Long nights at home were spent reading to her, hoping she could hear him. Or he would just talk to her, as if she could respond. Back then he always reminded her that he would love her, no matter what. Although now that promise brought more pain than comfort.

There was a darker side to this joyous occurrence. The Council had decided that he would be unfit to raise her, and that he would have no custody over her upon birth. Circumstances stated this would be a sensitive case. Someone else would raise her, he wouldn't even be allowed to see her. It broke his heart to hear that, but there was no choice. He couldn't run, the doctors said that a surgical birth was necessary. It was safer and more sanitary than just leaving things to nature, which could threaten both their lives. If he wanted her to be born safely he was stuck there.

Instead he tried to push much of that into the back of his mind, spending time focusing on the fact he was going to have a baby. Almost nightly he wrote in a diary about her progress, about what he wanted to name her, how he hoped that one day when she was older, he could reunite with her. The fact that he was happy to learn he'd be having a girl, like he always wanted. Even if he wasn't able to raise her, he still wanted to be there for her when she grew up. Yet at the moment all of that felt like it was all for nothing.

Moving his clothing out of the way, he looked at the only remainder he had. A long pink scar that marred his otherwise smooth skin. It was a reminder as to why he left in the first place. How betrayed and violated he felt after her birth. Turning onto his side, he fell into a fitful sleep.

Talen returned to the shop later that evening after her vist to the pub. She had hoped that those drinks would wash away her confusion. They didn't, she just felt more mixed-up, and she almost started a fight with some bastard who wouldn't leave her alone. Some humans just couldn't take no for an answer.

She was hoping everything was still at the shop so she could just crawl into bed and sleep everything off. Instead she found Undertaker waiting for her at his desk, a look of concern across his handsome features.

"Can't it wait?" she sighed, "I've had a rough night."

"It would be better if it didn't," he told her. "What happened earlier? I wasn't expecting you to snap like that?"

"What, you expected me to be all happy?"

"Not exactly, but I wasn't expecting you to fly into a rage like that. You never told me you were angry with your mother."

"I didn't even expect myself to be," she said softly, " I just remembered a lot of things that I buried long ago."

"I can understand that, but you were pretty harsh."

Talen found a chair and pulled it up by the desk to sit down, and she took a deep breath, "As a child I did wonder about my mother. I heard all the stories around dispatch about the kind of trouble he would get himself into and all. That was all I had to go by and like any child I had my own fantasies. I would wish that some day he would just show up and take me away, and then we could go off and be happy. All those silly things that kids think of. One day you just stop dreaming, once you realize your dream will never come true. I realized today that I really do feel abandoned. He's not just some mythical figure that I dreamed about as a kid."

"I can see where that's difficult," he took her hand, gently caressing the back of it with his thumb, being mindful of her injured knuckles. "Sometimes we don't know we're hiding feelings."

"I wish I could help it. What happened after I left?"

"I had to console Grell before sending him off. He really wants you to give him a chance. Things are more complicated than you think. Like most things in life usually are."

"I'm not going to guarantee anything there. It's up to me whether or not I have a change of heart. I'm still pretty angry with him."

"Of course, it's your decision. I just know it's difficult when your emotions get the best of you. Now let's get upstairs and and see what we can do about your hand."

Talen nodded and followed him upstairs where she seated herself at the kitchen table. Undertaker fixed an ice pack for her hand, seeing the only real damage was bruising and a couple scrapes that would be healed by morning. The swelling was all that needed tending by now. Then he fixed them both some chamomile tea and a plate of cookies.

"I know life's difficult for you sometimes," he said while he sipped the hot liquid, "you remember how I've told you that you aren't the first hybrid right?"

"I remember something about that. Long, long time ago?"

"Many centuries ago. Hybrids are extremely rare since shinigami and demons are mortal enemies, but there was one I remember from my own past. I think I've told you about her before."

"Desdemona, right? I remember you bringing her up over a game of checkers some years ago. Around the time I started hanging around your shop."

"Yes, her. Unlike you though her mother was a demon, rather than a shinigami. She had different traits from yours because of this. You kind of remind me of her at times, she lived under a lot of scrutiny and expectation. For years she struggled with the fact that she was hybrid. Up until her death. Unfortunately for her she died before she could prove herself. Poor woman starved to death, she was unlucky to have inherited a need for souls to sustain herself. It drove her mad. Treatment was out of the question as it violates our own ethics. They simply locked her up until she expired."

"I guess I'm lucky in that respect," Talen sighed and looked over at Undertaker. He looked very solemn, and a bit sad? "You okay?"

"I'm fine, I think I'm just tired. It's very late, why don't we get some rest dear?"

"Yes, I'm wiped out," she took his hand. "Why not stay in my room tonight? It looks like both of us need some company."

"Why not," he stroked Talen's hair, and they retreated to the bedroom where they slept soundly in each other's embrace.

Author's Notes

Whew! Longest chapter yet. And yeah, hybrids have weird, traits can depend on which species is which parent. Like ligers and tigons, they're both a mix of lion and tiger, but who the mother/father influence how the cubs are. Ligers are these ginormous creatures with golden coats, and tigons are a smaller and more stripey. I figured I'd leave a nifty note on that, it does come into play later in the story.

When it comes to technology during the flashback scenes, I am going by how things are in the Shinigami OVA, as in their technology is more developed than human technology for the time. Therefore their medical facilities, when needed, are likely more advanced as well. I'll just approximate Talen's conception and birth as somewhere in the early 1890s.


	7. Chapter 7

Wow! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favorites I've received for this story! The day after I uploaded the last chapter I got a nice little explosion of responses. This chapter's going to be a little lighter, since the last one was full of drama. There's still plenty of drama to come.

Chapter 7: Feeding Strays

_The young girl was different from all the other children. Therefore the other children didn't want anything to do with her. Her eyes were red, her nails were black, she had fangs. Everyone else had green eyes and normal nails and teeth. While she was told her own mother's teeth were abnormal, hers were from an entirely different species altogether. Over time she became more aggressive from facing rejection after rejection from the others. This frightened the other kids even more. At least they respected her enough now to leave her alone now._

_ Often she would ask the man who took care of her many questions. He was the only person she wouldn't lash out at. Yet she tried his patience frequently._

_ "Are you my Daddy?" she asked one day, gazing up at him with wide eyes._

_ "No," he simply replied._

_ "Who is my Daddy, where is he?" she implored._

_ "He's nothing more than scum."_

_ "Where's Mummy?"_

_ "I don't know. Ran away. Now come along, you need to get back to your studies."_

_ "Will Mummy ever return?"_

_ "Would you stop asking me that? You ask me almost every day! How am I supposed to know. Your Mother is a fool."_

_ The little girl paused and stared at the man, "William, do you wish you were my daddy?"_

_ "Talen, what's gotten into you? You're asking ridiculous questions. Now come along, I don't have time to be messing around."_

_ Quietly she followed him back into the house and seated herself at a desk. Instead of studying she let her mind wander back to her frequent questions. Life with William was so lame, he was so stern with her. As much as she hated the other kids, she envied the fact they had parents who actually cared for them. They would run to a mother's or father's embrace after a day of schooling, they got bedtime stories and treats. She had this cold person to deal with. In her eight years of life she felt like he was still a stranger. He would pick her up, have her study and serve her some sort of bland dinner. He told her sweets were unnecessary._

_ Then he had his strange moments, sometimes he was drinking and other times just tired. He'd look at her as if he were about to cry. Sometimes he would cry. On occasion he would hold her like a doll and just sob, refusing to let go, even though it frightened her. It was always over her Mother._

_ This confused Talen. One moment William would go on about how her mother was trash, and hours later would be a wreck over her mother disappearing. At night she would lay in bed thinking of how if this person were to return, maybe everything would be better. Maybe she would get those loving hugs, and bedtime stories, and hot cocoa and all the wonderful other things the other kids had. Or just be taken away from it all, and spend her days adventuring with this figure she built up in her mind based off her caretaker's haunted dreams._

_ One day she stopped wishing for her mother's return. For years she made that wish at every opportunity. She realized it would likely never come true, and accepted her life as it was._

Talen awoke to the rumble of thunder, ending her dream. She shot up into a sitting position, and looked around the room to find herself in the here and now. Beside her Undertaker began stirring as he awoke.

"Bad dream m'dear?" he murmured half-asleep.

"More like old memories," she yawned. "Stuff from a long time ago."

Undertaker slid out of bed and stretched his long limbs, "I gotta get up and open the shop in a bit. Don't let it get to ya, old memories do that sometimes."

"I'm not. I'm just reeling from yesterday's events. They brought me back to childhood," she buried herself under the covers again. "Plus the thunder woke me."

"Ah yes, lovely thing to wake up to isn't it? If you're up to it today, wanna help me in the coffin room? There's some orders that need filling."

"Why not, just give me five more minutes. And make sure there's some tea ready when I get up."

Talen loved working on coffins, she found the work room to be a soothing place. It was almost meditative to build a coffin, the preparing of the wood, cutting, sanding, assembling, upholstering, painting or staining the outside. Even if it would just go in the ground she liked to take pride in making a quality coffin. It gave her time to relax while keeping busy. Many of her off days from Dispatch were spent in this room creating masterpieces.

She must have spent hours in the workroom working on her latest piece as she carefully cut and assembled the different parts together. The smell of wood was heavy in the air, it was a comforting scent as she sanded down rough spots on the exterior. At one point she stopped for lunch, and after eating went right back to working. Talen was so focused she didn't notice the door creak open and a figure enter the room until she turned around and saw her mother sitting in a chair at the planning table.

"What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to treat your dear mother?" Grell asked with a melodramatic pose.

"I don't know why you're back so soon," Talen's eyebrow twitched.

She realized she was still annoyed, even after sleeping on the matter. As decided though, she would keep her cool around him.

"Now, now darling, Undertaker let me in. He said I could visit," the redhead grinned. "He told me you were working on coffins."

"Which is why I shouldn't be bothered."

"You can't shake me off that easily."

Talen just sighed and returned to work, "Please stop staring at me."

"I'm not staring! I'm watching. I heard my little girl is very skilled with her hands!"

"I'm not little, I'm taller than you. Plus I'm a grown adult, not a child."

"And soooooo cold! That's what I loved about your Father."

Talen just grumbled and returned to her work, until the door creaked open again and Charun trotted into the room.

"What are you doing in here?" she scooped the cat up in her arms, "you shouldn't be in here, there's too much trouble for you to get into."

Rather than evict the feline from the room, she carried him to her workspace and sat down next to the coffin she was working on. Her time now devoted to nose beeps and paw massages.

"Awww, you pay attention to that furball but not to me?" Grell whined, "No fair!"

"This is my cat, I raised him. Therefore I can fawn over him all I want."

Things went on like this for the next few days. Grell would stop by the shop for a few hours and Talen would argue with him. She felt wary, like he wanted something, why else would an estranged parent just show up one day? He always said he just wanted to be with her and have her accept his motherly love. Part of her found it hard to forgive his lack of involvement in her life. Then one night Undertaker had the idea that they could all have dinner together.

"Why did you insist on this?" she asked as she stirred a pan of sauce.

"I thought it might be fun," Undertaker grinned. "We could eat together like a family!"

"You know I'm still angry right? I don't care how much he's shown up lately."

He sighed, "I was hoping you'd warm up to him by now Carissa."

"And I told you I can't make any promises," she gave the creamy sauce a vigorous stir. "I'm keeping civil, that should be enough. I shouldn't be expected to immediately bond with some complete stranger."

"You know he adores you? All he wants from you is your acceptance," he pulled her into an embrace, "There's nothing shady about it."

"I find it difficult to just begin adoring someone who was never involved with my life. I don't care if he carried me until birth," Talen grumbled.

"Just remember, he won't let go that easy. Much like you, he's very persistent. I guess all I can ask is for you to just tolerate his presence."

"I'm glad you understand," she gave him a quick kiss and returned to making dinner.

They could hear the downstairs door open and shut and someone on the stairs to the apartment.

"Ah, company's here," Undertaker grinned as he went to let Grell in.

"Mommy's here!" Grell squealed as he flounced into the kitchen.

"Good, you can set the table," Talen said "I need to make sure dinner doesn't burn. Flatware is third drawer on the right, and wine glasses are in the cupboard. You can set the plates on the counter."

"Now, now, our living guest doesn't need to help with the kitchen. He's company," Undertaker said, "Grell, you can have a seat, dinner's almost ready."

Grell seated himself at the table while Undertaker took it upon himself to set everything up. Meanwhile Talen took a moment to grab some wine and uncork it, pouring three glasses which were set out on the table. A couple minutes later she returned to the dining area with dinner.

"Tonight's dinner is chicken scampi on linguine served with a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend," she said while setting the plates down.

"A white wine? Reds are so much more passionate," Grell said.

"When choosing wine you want something that compliments the meal. This meal happens to pair well with white wines," Talen seated herself. "The flavors balance one another to optimize the meal."

"You're so much like your father, both of you are so amazing!"

"You mean the one night stand?"

"If only you knew how long I was chasing him, my body will forever remember that night!"

"Please, not at the dinner table."

"So, any good jokes?" Undetaker asked in an attempt to calm the tense atmosphere. "Even a funny story would be nice."

Nobody really knew any, so the group ate in silence until there was a rapping at the window.

"Dammit!" Talen got up and opened the window. "Can't you wait until I'm done?" she asked the messenger pigeon that flew into the room. "Don't think of landing on the counter, I don't shit where you eat."

After herding the bird to a surface not related to food preparation, she took the message from the bird and shooed the creature back out the window. Then returned to the table.

"Damn things won't stop until you take the message," she sat down and unrolled it. "Aw shit, emergency meeting. Well Will's just gonna have to wait until I'm done with dinner."

"What's all that about?" Undertaker took the message and read it over.

"Didn't really say, a general message to the team. We're all to meet at Dispatch soon and then find out what it's all about," Talen downed the rest of her glass of wine. "It better be really friggin important."


	8. Chapter 8

Um yeah, only the original characters are mine, which would be Talen and some random shinigami. All recognizable characters aren't mine, but are fun to play with.

Chapter 8: A Brewing Storm

Talen seated herself at the meeting room table and grumbled to nobody in particular, "What the hell's so damn important that I had to be called from dinner!"

"We have an unusual case here," William adjusted his glasses with his scythe. "Now if you'll listen I'll tell you what's going to happen."

Seated at the table with her was a small group of shimigami, the special unit. These were the strongest officers in the Dispatch, specially selected for their strength and technique. Some were fresh from Academy having come out top in their class. Others had been in the field for years and had outstanding performance ratings.

William pulled down a screen and projected a map onto it, "The day after tomorrow there is going to be a major attack on a train here," he pointed to a marked spot with his scythe. "The train is going to be bombed, with a projected death toll of at least a hundred."

"What separates this from other attack related deaths?:" asked a shinigami by the name of John Avery.

"Aside from lookout work to assure the safety of those who will be harvesting souls there are reports of demonic involvement. The man orchestrating this attack is contracted with a demon, which could lead to possible complications. Of course since all of these deaths are human planned there may be some loose demons wishing to take advantage of the situation. Many are drawn to the wicked side of humanity."

It was going to be a tricky mission with the potential threat of a demon. It was rare to see disasters of this scale caused by human hand. Other divisions, such as the Mideast divisions, were used to this sort of strife. William took the time to go over the finer details of what would happen, how some bombs were planted and were set to explode in certain cars. The train would derail, and at least a hundred casualties were projected. The death lists for the event were still being compiled for the regular officers. A final death count would be revealed once the lists were complete.

"Avery, Falcata, Jones, Howard, and Reynolds will be on the lookout for demons. Everyone else is to supervise collections and be ready to jump in if there are any problems," William announced. "I'll be informing the rest of the division tomorrow when they get their death lists. You are dismissed. You know the drill, rest up and be ready."

Everyone got up to leave and William stopped Talen, "What's up. You look more aggravated than usual."

"Just stress, and I don't like being disturbed while I'm having dinner."

"It's more than that."

"I don't feel like talking about it," she stepped away. "Why are you prying anyways?"

"Because I need you to stay on track for this. This has the potential to become very dangerous and any slip ups could cost us."

"I'll be fine, I just want to go home."

"Fine, but I expect you to be ready."

"Just stop worrying about it," Talen said as she left the meeting room.

William sighed as he watched her leave, "I hope you're right."

Talen returned home and immediately poured herself some leftover wine, letting the blend of tart, grassy, and citrus flavors soothe her. Damn that was good wine. It was late, the meeting took longer than she expected. She was annoyed with William for pulling her aside like that, like she'd tell him anything. She hadn't been under his guardianship for nearly a century. He didn't need to know everything going on in her life.

"Long night?" Undertaker asked as he strode into the kitchen.

"Very, have a sensitive mission coming up day after tomorrow and William is being nosy."

"I know your dinner was interrupted, want me to heat some leftovers? There's some left if you're hungry."

"Sure," she took another sip of wine.

"And just to let you know, Grell is staying the night."

"What?" Talen's eyes widened as she almost choked on her wine.

"He's sleeping on the couch right now, had a bit too much to drink," Undertaker giggled as he set the reheated dinner in front of Talen. "He's quite amusing when he's tipsy."

"Okay," Talen shrugged, rather indifferent at the moment now since she was so tired. "I'll just finish my dinner and go to bed."

Undertaker stood behind Talen and gently massaged her shoulders, "You need to relax more m'dear. Tension isn't good for you. You'll cramp up which isn't pleasant."

"I'll relax when life returns to normal."

The morning of the bombing was a dreary and overcast one. The air smelled of damp soil and had a heavy feel to it from overnight rain. A group of shinigami waited by the tracks for the train to come through and derail. Half of the special team mingled with the regular officers to oversee any possible complications. The rest of the team were distanced slightly further away, surveying the countryside for any sign of demonic activity.

Talen felt an uneasiness in her gut. While things looked fine for the time being, she had this inkling that this was going to be a strange mission. A short distance away she could see Undertaker and Grell seated under a tree. Grell had insisted on coming along to see her in action, and refused to take no for an answer. When she did say no, he'd whine about wanting to see his baby in action. Undertaker joked about family resemblance and how the pair were stubborn brats, which earned him a light punch in the ribs by Talen. He continued to laugh.

In the distance smoke rose into the sky from the approaching train leaving a charcoal trail in the air. Hopefully this mission would go off without a hitch. It was a shame so many humans were going to die that day, but it wasn't anyone's job to interfere. Just get the job done and go home. The train's whistle sounded as it approached, bringing Talen back into focus.

It was meters away when three explosions rocked the train, a sickening metallic screech was heard as the train fell off the tracks and into a flaming heap. Screams could be heard from inside the cars as fearful humans attempted to escape.

Everyone set to work harvesting souls, while Talen kept an eye on a figure who shadowed the train. She knew it was a demon and signaled to the rest of the team members assigned to demon duty, they drew out their scythes ready for possible attack. This one must be the one that was under contract. Its behavior was like that of someone involved in the accident, and not some roving stray. The cold way it surveyed the destruction was a clear sign of a scoundrel taking pride in their work. It would be preferable to simply engage this demon, but it was wiser to just keep an eye on it and only attack if necessary. It was "collared" as William would say, and to be left alone unless it interfered.

The demon's actions now seemed rather erratic. It was leaping among the burning cars, on occasion looking out towards the horizon. It looked more like the demon was looking for something, or someone. There was no visible sign of whomever the contractor was giving orders. More like the demon was attempting to fulfill its own agenda, killing two birds with one stone. Reaching into its jacket, it pulled out a dagger, and unsheathed the instrument.

Talen tensed up as the demon made a direct rush towards her. Lifting her scythe she held it in a defensive position, bracing for attack. The rest of the team approached on in case they were needed. There was a clang as blades made contact.

"So you're the bitch who's been taking us down," it sneered at her. "You're a traitor to your own blood."

"Shut up, I'm the one who sends your stinking carcasses back to hell," she smirked.

"I'll put a stop to that today."

"Try me. I haven't had a good fight in a long time," she locked eyes with it and smirked.

Both beings stood locked in a staring contest, eyes glowing an eerie shade of violet-pink. Each waiting for the first move to be made, whoever made that move could get the upper-hand. At that moment it felt to Talen like her and the demon were the only ones in the field. The air around them grew heavier as their hellish staring contest persisted. She might as well have been fighting in hell with the amount of smoke in the air and the fire blazing on the tracks.

Suddenly the demon lunged and Talen moved aside. Not quick enough though to avoid getting sliced by a dagger the demon had previously hidden. The cut was fairly deep and burned. Blood trailed down her arm, but she paid no mind as she focused on the fight.

Eventually something began to override Talen's adrenaline, and her moves began to lose their precision. The change was subtle at first, a lowering of her accuracy, longer reaction time. It became difficult to focus, her vision grew blurry and breathing felt more difficult. With her defenses down the demon was able to find more openings for attack. Eventually she was taking more blows than she could deal. Pain coursed through her body, yet she kept fighting despite the mental fog descending upon her.

"I hope you enjoy the little something I coated my blade with," the demon chuckled.

"You fucking bastard," she breathed as she made a shaky lunge and faltered, allowing the demon to deliver a hard blow to her ankle resulting in a loud crack.

Reynolds and Howard jumped in and took over the fight, shouting for other team members to join in and hopefully overpower the demon. Talen meanwhile dragged herself away and laid in the damp grass, too disoriented to continue. It felt so soft and inviting with its fresh, dewy scent. A figure smelling of roses and sandalwood pulled her into an embrace, its voice a soothing murmur in her ears. Everything was forgotten as she allowed herself to give into this feeling of comfort. She felt like she was in some velvety, soothing ocean, and nuzzled into its warm pulse before losing consciousness.

Yay cliffhanger! XD I promise that this is only for the sake of tension and drama. Gotta keep the ball rolling!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Crucial Hours

Anna Reynolds and Russ Howard positioned themselves so that the demon was between them. Anna had called for backup after seeing the demon take down a fellow officer. If it could take down one elite officer, safety was definitely in numbers. Russ acted as a decoy and began taunting the demon as Anthony Jones launched an attack from behind, taking the demon by surprise.

During the fight all focus was on the demon and eliminating it, leaving Talen laying in the grass. Nobody paid much attention when two figures approached her. The scarlet one kneeling down and pulling her into his arms, his voice frantic. The other knelt down, keeping composure for the sake of his distraught companion.

The demon's eyes widened in shock as Anthony's scythe went through its chest, allowing Anna and Russ to descent upon it and make quick work of it. They were lucky and congratulated Russ on his risky move. Normally taunting was discouraged for the fact that it was unprofessional.

"Looks like somebody won't have to worry about their soul," Anthony smirked as he wiped the blood off his scythe on the dewy grass.

Russ gave the demon's carcass a kick in the ribs, "Only good demon is a dead demon."

"Speaking of which, our colleague needs medical attention right away," Anna gestured to the trio in the grass. "Somebody alert the hospital, tell them to bring a stretcher."

Anna was one of the most organized members of the team. As times changed more women began working in different departments outside of strictly secretarial positions. Anna was one of the few who chose to work as an officer, and was excellent for group missions such as this one. While like many of her fellow officers, she was sometimes wary of Talen, but also knew that a true team supported all members and put aside personal preference.

She approached the pair surrounding Talen and knelt down with them, "Help is on its way."

She recognized Undertaker, the now-retired legend she learned about in her academy days. The crimson figure holding Talen was unfamiliar to her, but she could see he had some sort of bond with Talen. While little was mentioned of Talen's parents amongst the other shinigami, Anna could see a definite resemblance between the two.

Grell was only focused on Talen, holding her while attempting to keep calm enough to keep talking to her. Tears ran down his cheeks while the occasional sob leaked out.

Undertaker got up and began to search through the grass, he looked towards the derailed train to see the mission was wrapping up. Anna was left alone with Grell, feeling awkward about kneeling next to a distraught stranger.

"Help's coming," she placed a hand on his shoulder, "we'll make sure she gets taken care of. Try not to hold her so tightly, you might end up hurting her more."

Undertaker returned with Talen's scythe and the dagger she had been cut with, "They'll need this. I'm not too certain, but it looks like she's been poisoned. Her injuries shouldn't be life-threatening on their own."

The emergency medical staff arrived within minutes and took Talen from Grell's arms, placing her on a stretcher. They did a quick check of vitals, and whisked her back to the shinigami realm. Grell decided to come out of hiding and follow Undertaker back to the realm, his daughter was more important than any consequences his disappearance would lead to.

At the hospital Talen was immediately placed in the emergency ward. Undertaker handed the suspected poisoned dagger to the staff for analysis in hopes they could find something to counter it. Now all they could do was wait, and hope for the best. By now Grell was crying uncontrollably having been separated from Talen.

Undertaker pulled him into a comforting embrace, "I know, I know, I'm worried too. She won't go down without a fight."

William ran into the waiting section, bombarding the receptionist with question on Talen's condition. Only to be told to sit and be patient. Someone would inform him when they knew what was wrong. All he could do now was wait like everybody else.

As William turned around, gasped in shock. At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him as he saw Grell clinging to Undertaker. Slowly, he approached the pair, afraid they would disappear from his sight. Part of him ached as he saw his former colleague helplessly clinging to the silver legend. How much he wished he could be the one holding the vulnerable figure before him.

Undertaker looked up at William, then back down at Grell, "He's afraid of losing her again."

Grell looked up, "W-Will? Why are you here?"

"Because one of my officers became severely injured in the line of duty."

"Always about business," Undertaker shook his head.

"What does she matter to you anyways," Grell sniffled. "You hate demons anyways"

"For your information, I keep an eye on all of my officers. While she has demon blood, she's become a necessary evil around here."

Grell suddenly stood up and glared at William, "I can't stand it! First you violate me! Then you treat my daughter like some tool for your own means! That's all she is to you? Just because she isn't full blooded she's some object?"

"She's been treated well! I've given her expectations like everyone else. She has a good education, a job, everything she needs."

"I've heard she's treated like a freak!"

"Why does it even matter! You ran off after she was born!"

"I ran off because you wouldn't let me see her! After her birth I lost what I always wanted and it was all because of you!" Grell shoved William into the wall. "Maybe if I was allowed to actually _be_ her mother I would have stuck around! Maybe if you didn't tear my womb from me, I wouldn't have run away!"

"Everyone, calm down," Undertaker interrupted and gently tugged Grell back to his seat. "William, I suggest you leave for now, you've done enough damage."

Grell slumped in his seat, emotionally exhausted and ready to simply fall asleep and hope he was just having a nightmare. He ached as he thought of the feelings he had put to rest upon his departure. Undertaker just put an arm around him. He knew Undertaker was worried as well, but was holding together for the sake of everyone else. Curling up against his companion, he finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

_As the due date drew near Grell began to feel cumbersome with his swollen body. At times he was in various states of discomfort. Between hormones and how his body had changed to accommodate his growing offspring. Yet he wanted to feel like it would all be worth it. The doctors told him that it was a healthy pregnancy and there were no signs of the unborn becoming a danger to him._

_ If only she wasn't going to be taken away from him. He knew he would have to face the inevitable. Everything had already been gone over. When the time came she would be removed, and placed under observation for the first week or two to be sure she was healthy and once again, not a danger. Then she would be placed under somebody's care, somebody considered fit for raising a shinigami/demon hybrid. _

_ He caressed his stomach again, feeling the tautness of his skin underneath his clothing. It had gotten to the point where working was exhausting and he was put on leave. Most of his days were now spent at home with just him and his unborn child. Nobody really wanted to be around him, there was no way he could have a night out. He missed many of the people he worked around, but they felt like strangers to him anyways. _

_ Especially William. He remained colder over the passing months. It wasn't even attractive anymore, just oppressive. He frequently reminded Grell of the fact that he had poor standards for having been with a being more vile than any creature in the known universe. Just some cheap harlot who only cared for bodily pleasures. Like many of the women he had killed he had killed as half of Jack the Ripper._

_ Lately, something changed. A couple days prior he felt a shift in his body as it prepared for birth. While actual birth was impossible without possibly threatening both their lives, his body went through the same preparations. He felt anxious, knowing everything was going to change soon._

_ Change they did one day. As usual Grell was curled up on the couch. A phonograph was playing in the background and he was reading from some tawdry romance novel, wishing he were the spirited heroine who was swept off her feet by some handsome hero and tamed by his love. All of the sudden his stomach lurched and waves of pain rolled through him. It was time._

_ There was only one thing he could do, notify William and get to the hospital. Not his favored choice, but it was the only one that assured his child's safe arrival. Her safety was more important. With shaking hands he picked up the phone and dialed William's office._

_ The next hours were literally a blur. While waiting his water had broken, signifying further that it was time. First he was hurried to the hospital as the contractions continued rolling through. Upon arrival he was placed on a gurney and whisked off to the operating room, where the anesthesia sent him into slumber._

_Hours later Grell regained consciousness, waking up in a fog. He was still heavily drugged and unsure of how long he was out. A dull pain resided in his lower abdomen, but when he tried to lift his head to check on things he realized everything felt heavy. It was like his body was made of lead. With this realization sleep was once again inviting._

_ It wasn't until the next morning that his mind felt clear enough to realize what had happened. Everything came back to him as he realized that he was alone again. There was little he could do, the pain drugs kept his body sluggish. It took longer than normal to move the blankets away to see a large bandage covering an incision. _

_ Empty. His child was taken from him without even a farewell. There was nothing but the emptiness, and nothing he could do. Still too weak to do anything he spent the next few days sleeping. More now for the sake of escaping than actual rest._

_ Recovery felt like an eternity, even if it was only a span of days. The doctor had told him it was because of the fact his child was half demon. Intuition told Grell that there was something deeper than that. He would find that out as he regained his strength. When the stitches were removed, he saw a long, red scar. In most cases red made him happy, that scar only brought sorrow._

_ One afternoon he noticed that the doctor had left his file carelessly on a table. A quick glance proved that Grell's intuition was correct as his heart sank. How could William have ordered this? He felt sick, robbed of something precious that he could never get back. Grabbing what he had, he left the hospital without being discharged. He returned to his apartment to pack a few more things, and left without a second glance. _

_ On the road he wondered where he would go. He only thought of getting away from that place. Avoiding everyone who resided there. Where he went didn't matter to him, he knew he could find some place to resettle, maybe even live as a vagabond. The details would be thought out later, as only one thing dominated his mind. The fact that his medical record listed more than just a cesarean birth. Listed next to it was sterilization. _

_ He would return someday, for her._


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: Sorry it's taken so long! I've been so caught up in different things. Actually a twitter RP has taken up much of my mind :B It's my first time doing an RP and I'm hooked, not to mention the summer cold I'm getting over. I've been working on this story though. I couldn't just outright neglect it.

Oh and the Kuro characters aren't mine, they're just fun to play with.

Chapter 10: Waiting is Half the Battle

William waited in another section of the hospital, away from the main waiting area. It was a smaller room, one of the rooms used for the first aid department. As the latest mission wrapped-up a small stream of officers came through to patch up minor injuries. There were a couple that went beyond just a scrape, but those would heal within a couple days at most. Eventually the room was quiet as the injured were treated and released.

William sighed and flipped through an old magazine. There was so much he was trying to digest at the moment between Talen's current state and Grell's apparent return. He wanted to tell Grell everything, but that was near impossible after being shooed away by Undertaker. It was obvious his presence was agitating Grell.

In some ways, he couldn't blame Grell. After everything he put the redhead through it was no wonder that he was treated in such a manner. He still wished he could explain himself, but that chance would have to wait until another time.

Like the everything else at Dispatch, the hospital was stark white with fluorescent lights giving the room an even more sterile appearance. Even with upholstery the chair he sat in felt uncomfortable. Picking up another outdated magazine, he idly flipped through for the sake of something to do. His mind though, drifted away from that small room he was confined in. Back to what all led up to this.

_He wanted to reach out to his colleague, but as supervisor it would look unprofessional. Especially with the Council keeping an eye on this matter. Especially since he was the one who requested that they allow Grell to carry his unborn to term. Showing anything outside of his usual authoritarian bearing would look suspicious. This was a job where emotions were checked at the door. Years of working this job to the best of his ability made his own emotions grow stunted._

_ In many ways, he built up more walls to protect himself. While caring for other shinigami wasn't itself wrong, defending a shinigami who committed a grave offense was tricky. He could be in a lot of trouble if he was accused of risking Dispatch for the sake of his own feelings. It made him more stern than usual, as a means to hide those feelings not only from Grell, but from himself._

_ Yet it broke him every time he received one of those sorrowful looks. Each time Grell looked at William like that all he wanted to do was hold him and tell him things would be fine. This was outside his power now, everything was up to the Council now. It was their decision to place the child, once born, into the custody of another. Once he convinced the Council the child could be raised to slay demons the deal was sealed. The child would live._

_ At the same time William was angry with jealousy. Even if that night with the demon was just some fling, he hated the idea of it even happening. He was sure that it was just the damn vermin offering favors in exchange for something. Grell didn't need to be used like that, but he would fall for it anyways. Anything to spend time with one of his little "crushes". _

_ He had a love/hate relationship with his jealousy. He hated acting out of it, like he did when Grell first announced his pregnancy. At the same time it helped him cover his feelings enough to be the uptight superior he was supposed to be. Over the past month he stole glances at Grell, watching as he tended to the being growing inside of him. The tender expression on Grell's face almost made William break at times. Knowing that separation was inevitable and was going to be done by his hand. Some days he hated himself for what he was going to have to do, since it meant hurting someone he loved. _

_ Night time was when peace could come to him. He welcomed his time alone, away from the one person who plagued his heart on a daily basis. When he was haunted, he'd find ways to numb himself. His preferred method being alcohol. Its burn was welcoming after a long day at the office, easing his body and spirit for just a little while. Most nights it worked, some nights everything would flood back to him as he sobered up. Those times were the worst. It's not something he was proud of, or let bleed into working life. At work he kept himself at his utmost professional. At home, away from the rigors of the day, he needed relief._

William awoke to a gentle nudge on the shoulder. Lifting his glasses, he rubbed at his eyes for a moment and looked up at a doctor.

"Good evening Mr. Spears. I'm Doctor Edwards, I've been treating Miss Falcata."

"Oh, yes," he stretched his arms up over his head to wake himself further, "How is she doing?"

"She's been stabilized. Unfortunately we're not sure of whether that will last or not. Tests were run on the dagger that she was cut with. Like initially suspected she's been poisoned. The poison used was one we developed centuries ago for combating difficult demons. It seems that Miss Falcata is susceptible to this poison due to her demonic heritage."

William sighed, "That's just great. One of my strongest officers poisoned. Have you informed anybody else?"

"Just Undertaker and Mr. Sutcliff. Both of them seemed extremely worried. It looks like they'll be in the main waiting room all night."

"Anything else on her condition?"

"Aside from trying to find a way to cleanse her system of the poison she has a few broken ribs, and a shattered ankle along with various contusions. If she pulls through she'll need a few weeks off that ankle at least. That poison has affected her ability to heal from normal injuries."

"What are her chances of surviving?"

"We're unsure. We hope that if she makes it to morning the worst will be over."

William slumped down in his seat, "Honestly, I never thought I'd have to deal with this. It's a part of her job to keep everybody else safe."

"Things happen," Dr. Edwards gave William a sympathetic look, "Even if we try to be prepared for one thing, something else can pop up."

"Thank you for informing me Doctor," William put his head in his hands, "Now if you'll get back to treating her. I'd really appreciate that. Do whatever you can for her, please."

"Of course, Mr. Spears. I'll do my best," Dr. Edwards said and returned to the emergency ward.

In the main waiting room Grell was wailing into Undertaker's robes, while Undertaker tried to calm him down. He sighed sadly as he stroked the redhead's long, soft hair. His voice was soft and soothing, the same tone he'd use after many of Talen's demon hunting missions.

"Shhhhhh, I know it's rough."

"How would you know," Grell sniffled, "It's not like your child is possibly dying!"

"I've lived through many losses in my life. All we can do is hope she pulls through."

"And what if she doesn't."

"Let's not think about that right now. It could happen, but we won't know. The doctor sounds fairly sure on her treatment. The medical team is doing their best. Let's just hope that it's enough," he gave Grell a reassuring squeeze. "Believe me, I want her to pull through too. I don't feel like losing anybody else," he said softly.

"Hm?" Grell looked up at Undertaker, "You? Does that mean you love her?"

"Yes, I really do. I've realized that in recent days. We never took that aspect of our relationship seriously. Usually we just saw each other as good friends who had a little extra fun on the side. But yeah, I do love her."

Grell reached up and placed a hand on Undertaker's cheek, a soft smile graced his lips, "I'm glad she has someone like you around. From what you've told me, her life here hasn't been that happy."

"Not really, she was even more unruly when I met her. Back then she cared even less about herself, or what could happen to her. Not usually my type, but I knew she could be somebody fantastic with care and patience. She has a good sense of humor, and genuine spunk."

"I hope she pulls through, for both of us. I lost her once already. I don't need to lose her for good."

"I hope so too, all we can do now is wait."

Grell gave a weak nod and snuggled closer. He sighed and drifted off to sleep.

"Yes, sleep. The doctor said we should know by morning how our dear Carissa is doing," he murmured.

William had lost count of how many cups of coffee he'd had. Especially since he reused the same cup. He was determined to stay up the whole night if he had to, just for updates on Talen's condition.

His thoughts also drifted back to the waiting room by Emergency. Where Grell was currently. He still had a hard time believing Grell was actually here, after having given up on him ever returning decades ago. He wished he could just run to the redhead and apologize for all the pain he ever caused. That seemed impossible now. The look Undertaker gave him was enough to keep him confined here for the time being.

He had known that Talen and Undertaker had something going on together. He knew that she moved in with him years ago, and had no issue. What he didn't know was what the actual depth of their relationship was. Whether they were friends, lovers, or even mentor and student. Now he knew there was something much deeper by the way he was shooed away here.

The hours ticked by. William flipped through every magazine in the tiny room. The periodic updates he had received were all similar. Talen was stable, but not out of the woods yet. It was worrisome, he hoped there would be some sign of recovery, even something small. The medical team was trying different treatments, seeing which worked the best to cleanse her of the poison.

All he knew was, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she died.

_He stood over the week old infant. Nobody had stepped up to take custody of her, and she needed a caretaker. Looking down at her, part of him wondered why he was so cautious of her. While he hated the fact she was half demon, she seemed so harmless laying in that crib. Crimson eyes slowly opened and stared up at him in simple curiosity. _

_ He had overseen her birth, he ordered the extra procedure to keep her mother from making the same mistake again. It was his jealousy controlling him again and now Grell was gone. When he had the opportunity, he ran away. _

_ William had also been there to sign the certificate, and give her the name "Talen Carissa Falcata". He had done his research first, wanted a name to signify that she was a warrior. It was odd, but his choice, since he had prevented her termination. He found her purpose, to keep her alive for the sake of her mother. Even if there was no way her mother could know. Her middle name was different, but was his own little way of trying to dissolve any guilt he harbored._

_ Now there was talk of sending her to some other division for her upbringing. Nobody came forward to raise her. The hospital didn't want to raise her. If nobody stepped up soon, she was going to be sent away. He didn't want that, not when she was now all that was left._

_ Leaning down, he scooped up the infant in his arms. It was still too early to tell which elements of her parents would show up. While she got her eye color from her father, the shape didn't look like his. Her hair was dark, but in certain lighting it seemed more red. Teeth would come in months later, and he wondered what species they would come from. _

_ The infant squirmed and began fussing. He drew her closer to him, resting her against his chest. It felt awkward to be holding this child in such a tender manner, she certainly wasn't his daughter. He felt the need to though, because she came from somebody he genuinely cared for. Even if his actions showed otherwise. Then and there he made the decision, he would raise her. Although he knew nothing of tending to infants, he felt he needed to. For the sake of her mother._


	11. Chapter 11

I know I've been taking forever in between chapters now! This story is alive and well though. I also know a lot has happened in the manga, I guess right now my story fits the anime better. Who knows, it might give me some ideas for later chapters or a potential sequel. All depends on where this story takes me.

Chapter 11: Coming out of the Woods

William awoke a few hours later, and shook the fog from his head. He didn't think he'd nod off like that. He had to blink his eyes a few times since the lights felt so damn bright. Glancing up at the clock he saw that he had been asleep for nearly four hours, and still no update on Talen's condition. This would not do. He needed to get a hold of Dr. Edwards and see if there was any update.

It took a good amount of restraint not to run down the hallway. He kept himself at a brisk pace, making sure not to run into any of the staff. Turning the corner, he entered the waiting room for the emergency ward. Undertaker and Grell were still there. Grell had spread himself out over a few chairs, and was using Undertaker as a pillow. He was sleeping, but his expression was troubled. Undertaker was gently stroking his hair, trying to soothe him into a restful sleep. He glanced up at William.

William gave him a polite nod, "I was just checking with the doctor on Miss Falcata's condition."

"Still in treatment," Undertaker sighed feeling pretty tired himself, "They think they stopped the poison from doing any further damage. Her ankle is being fixed up. Not sure yet how she's going to recover since the poison seems to be slowing her healing abilities. Still don't know how that demon got a hold of it, but it was a gutsy move on his part."

"I see," William sat down in one of the chairs nearby.

"Why are you so concerned?"

"Because I do worry. I raised her since birth, taught her everything I know. She's become an invaluable officer in the field. At times she can be unruly, but her competence makes up for it."

"You know you've cause her a lot of pain?"

"What do you mean by that?" William's eyebrow twitched.

"Her demon missions."

"That's a part of her job."

"Those missions hurt her. She's been conflicted, seeing how she was raised to hate half her heritage. I know demons don't really care for one another, but the fact she has to deny that part of herself aside from certain traits is straining her. The hatred most shinigami have towards demons is something instilled in her."

"Somebody has to do them, her skills in that department are exceptional."

Undertaker frowned, "I still don't like it. I thought we were supposed to learn from past mistakes."

"I have little knowledge of those mistakes."

"That's a shame, they really should touch more upon that when teaching history. Blemishes shouldn't be hidden from view."

Grell began stirring as he drifted back to consciousness, slowly blinking the bleariness from his eyes. At first he was confused, until the events of the past day came back to remind him why he currently was sprawled out on a series of chairs, using Undertaker as a pillow. Sitting up, he stretched his arms up over his head and gave William a wary look.

"What are you doing here? You should be glad I don't have my scythe with me," he said in a cold voice.

"I have every right to check up on my staff."

"I'd rather you stay away from her."

"I don't see why I should, she became my responsibility after you left."

"You never wanted her to be mine, you made that perfectly clear to me before she was born."

"The Council deemed you unfit for handling such offspring. They have the final word."

"You still could have allowed me to be involved in her life. There's so much you could have done for me back then that you didn't do."

"I only did what the Council would approve of. I don't see what else I could have done after you laid with that filth."

"Just shut up about rules, and the Council, and get that stick out of your ass!" Grell glared, "You know very damn well you could have done more for me! I could have at least been allowed visitation, a chance to watch her grow up. You took all of that away from me, you took my child and you took away my happiness!"

William just looked down at Grell, his hair tangled and clothing wrinkled from a night of sleeping in the waiting room. His glare was unwavering, an attempt to stare down William.

"I know about the extra procedure that was done on me," Grell's voice was quiet, controlled. "Nobody said anything about that in my punishment. I know you had my womb removed, and took away what I always wished for. That, was purely your doing."

"The Council would have approved of that anyways, seeing you inherently lack any sort of responsibility for your actions. I'd feel sorry for any child in your care."

"Can we stop the insults? I really wish you could drop that cold exterior for once, I'm tired of you acting like you're made of stone." Grell sighed, "It's just causing pain right now. Just go, I don't want to talk to you anymore. In fact, I'd be happy if I never saw you again."

The receptionist in the waiting area kept an eye on the trio, ready to call for assistance if things got out of hand. Life threatening incidents were rare in the emergency ward, and sometimes emotions ran high. Fortunately Dr. Edwards entered the waiting area, which channeled the growing tension from anger to worry and anticipation.

"We've done what we can at this point. Major system failures have been averted although there is some damage, mostly from other injuries. It looks like she will pull through though, she just needs plenty of time to recover. Anywhere from weeks to months depending on how much the poison has affected her healing. All I can confirm now is that she's going to live."

There was a collective sigh of relief at the news. Talen should survive.

"We've placed her in a room, she's still unconscious though and will be for a while. We can let you see her now though, so long as everyone keeps quiet."

Dr. Edwards led the trio down the hallway to the Talen's room. Grell immediately walked right up to the bed and stared down at the still figure in front of him. He pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down, gently taking Talen's hand. It shocked him to see someone he saw as strong, and capable laying so silent and helpless. At this point, any response from her would have been desired, including her scathing remarks.

Undertaker approached Grell and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, "Seeing how it looks like the worst is over, I'm going to head back to the shop. I need some time to myself, and like we all know, death waits for nobody. I need to tend to my guests."

Undertaker reached out and ran a hand through Talen's hair. It was dirty and tangled from the fight, then again keeping her alive was more important than aesthetics. Leaning down he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He then walked out of the room, taking William with him.

Turning to Dr. Edwards he said, "Let Grell stay here if he wants, she's his daughter. He shouldn't be much trouble unless Talen takes a turn for the worse."

Dr. Edwards gave an understanding nod, "Certainly, it's usually against visitor policy, but I can make an exception."

"Thanks," Undertaker smiled, before returning to the waiting area with William.

"What is the meaning of dragging me with you?"

"I know somewhere, deep down, you care for both of them," Undertaker said. "You just have a problem with your emotions, an ongoing problem. I've been seeing it for a long time. The best thing you can do right now is just leave those two be. Everything else can wait. I'm certain she's going to be fine, so get back to work."

"Very well then," William adjusted his glasses, "I can't argue with you."

"Great, now I'm going to get back to work myself."

Back in Talen's room Grell just sat by the bed and studied his daughter. She looked so different now that she was unconscious and hooked up to several machines. Her already pale skin looked eerie against the white sheets of the bed. Everything felt too sterile in here, it made Grell feel uneasy. Sighing, he studied her hand which he was still holding. Her nails were dark, like her father's. Even now, he thought she looked like a perfect blend.

"I'm not sure if you can hear me or if you even believe it, but you're beautiful," he said with a soft voice.

And that chapter's finished! I can't make any promises, but I'll try to pick up the pace with this story.


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